Second Battle of Breitenfeld

The Second Battle of Breitenfeld was a decisive victory for Sweden that occurred on 12 November 1642 outside of Leipzig, Germany, during the Thirty Years War. Swedish general Lennart Torstensson defeated the Imperial generals Archduke Leopold and his deputy Count Piccolomini. The result was the Swedish occupation of all of Saxony (after 11 November 1642).

Battle
In 1636 Catholic France had entered the war in alliance with Protestant Sweden and Holland, more motivated by the desire to thwart Habsburg ambitions than by religious loyalties. A Spanish invasion of France in 1636 had been pushed back, and by 1642 the Swedish general Torstensson was ravaging the Habsburg lands in Austria. Intent upon capturing Leipzig, Torstensson encountered the Imperial forces under Archduke Leopold and Count Piccolomini near the city. The battle was opened by a massive imperial cannonade of chain shot, intended to precede a sweeping cavalry attack. Torstensson realized that he must strike before the enemy formed in line of battle, and he moved quickly against the Imperial left flank, which broke almost at once, despite the Archduke’s best efforts to maintain discipline. On the other flank, however, the Bavarian cavalry had repulsed their Swedish opposites, while the Archduke’s infantry was beginning to press against the Swedish center. Torstensson brought his right wing across and pushed back the Swedish infantry. In the confusion, the Imperial cavalry found itself isolated by the withdrawal of the footsoldiers, leaving them little choice but to surrender or flee. Whole companies of troops simply threw down their arms and agreed on the spot to serve Torstensson. The Imperial army collapsed and fled. In the aftermath the irate Archduke, who had lost half of his army, court-martialed the officers of one whole regiment. The higher officers were beheaded, and one in 10 of the soldiers summarily shot. The Imperial side’s fortunes had reached their nadir.